Pacers to break ground on St. Vincent Center Dec. 14

St. Vincent Center will be the 20th stand-alone training facility built by an NBA team since ’99.

The Pacers plan to break ground on their new practice facility, the St. Vincent Center, on December 14, a source told VigilantSports.com. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver plans to be in town to take part in the ceremony, which is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Pacers Sports & Entertainment has outgrown their space at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, which opened in late 1999. Most of the offices will be moved over to this new facility, which will feature two basketball courts, a weight room four times the size of their current one, state-of-the-art equipment for the support staff, and more.

“This is a state-of-the-art facility that helps a small-market team compete for top talent in a very competitive business,” said Pacers President Larry Bird in August.

The five-story, 130,000 square-foot building will cost an estimated $50 million and will be privately financed. Indianapolis’ Capital Improvement Board (CIB), who owns the land, unanimously approved this request at a board meeting in August under a new 40-year agreement with PS&E. The proposal was presented by Earl Goode, the chairman of the CIB.

St. Vincent, who purchased the naming rights, will be on the fifth floor for primary care, cardiovascular, and sports performance services. As part of the agreement, the St. Vincent logo now appears on the Pacers’ practice jerseys.

The facility will be adjacent to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, just across Delaware Street. The St. Vincent Center will replace a one-level elevated employee parking lot. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2017.